David William "Dub" Wells of Sheridan was born on August 29, 1924 to George and Eunice Bishop Wells in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He died on November 27, 2006 at St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock at the age of 82. He is survived by wife Tommye Lamarr Bailey Wells of Sheridan and 2 sons David Wells and wife Beverly of Sheridan and Steve Wells and wife Cheri of El Dorado. He has 5 grandchildren Lang Wells and wife Anne of Sheridan, Scott Wells and wife Rhonda of Camden, Tobi Fairley and husband Carter of Little Rock, David William Wells II and Elizabeth Wells of El Dorado and 3 great-grandchildren Hudson and Rivers Wells and Ellison Fairley. He is also survived by extended family members Tom Baxley of Little Rock, Ann Prislovsky of Stuttgart, and Jack Winston of Rison.
Dub graduated from Arkadelphia High School before serving 3 years in the U.S. Navy during World War II where he was based in Guam, Siapan, and Tinian. After the war he returned to Sheridan, Arkansas where his family had moved and met his wife Tommye Bailey who he married on June 15, 1946 at the First United Methodist Church. He also began his college education during this time, attending Henderson State University, Little Rock Junior College (now UALR) and Arkansas Teachers College (UCA) where he received a degree in Physical Education and Administration with a minor in Economics. While at LRJC Dub's athletic abilities allowed him to play point guard on the Basketball team and he was the Number 1 seed on the ASTC tennis team.
After college, Dub's career in education began as the assistant principal at Jacksonville High School and after returning to Sheridan to work in his family's service station Dub began teaching physical education and coaching basketball for Sheridan High School. While living in Sheridan he became a 32nd degree Mason. It was also during this time that Dub was recruited by the FBI and was selected as one of only 2 people for employment as a special agent where he was stationed in Detroit, Michigan.
Dub's life and accomplishments in education, athletics, business, law enforcement, civic work, religion and travels to Russia, Spain, Finland, and Czechoslovakia were outstanding by any standards but were especially significant because he lost his sight as a young man at the age of 28 while serving in the FBI in Detroit. Dub handled his loss of sight as few people could, through laughter. It was his zest for life that kept him from ever focusing on his condition as a handicap. After losing his sight, Dub continued his career in Education back in Arkansas as a civics and history teacher in Hampton. It was at this time that Dub went to Peabody College and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee acquiring a master's degree. While living in Hampton Dub and Tommye bought the first of their many businesses, the downtown Pharmacy, which they operated for 30 years. They later opened a catfish restaurant in Pine Bluff, the Hushpuppy and later named the Catch of the Day, which they operated for more than ten years where they split their residency between Pine Bluff and Hampton. One of Dub's proudest accomplishments was helping to found a Rural Health Clinic in Calhoun County, "the Cabin Clinic" that brought doctors to Hampton to provide treatment for rural people there and in four surrounding Counties.
Dub and Tommye retired to their hometown of Sheridan in 1988 to be near friends and family. It was at this time that Dub began his religious career by receiving training and credentials at Hendrix College and becoming certified by the United Methodist Conference to be a lay minister. Dub became a biblical scholar memorizing the bible by listening to tapes and studying with a reader, his close friend Frances Sketoe. He used this knowledge to be a guest preacher at Methodist churches, teach multiple bible studies across denominations around the state and he also was an interim pastor at Center Grove Methodist Church, east of Sheridan.
It was Dub's passion for work and religion that kept him young and happy for all of his 82 years and it was his wonderful sense of humor and love of people that left an indelible mark on his family and every person that he encountered. He will be remembered for his love of story telling, jokes and teasing but it his dedication for helping those less fortunate than he, that made a difference in his church, his community and his state.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 29, 2006, at First United Methodist Church in Sheridan, Arkansas with Dub's dearest friend and confidant Reverend Bruce Bennett Officiating. Pallbearers for the service are Jim Allen, Greg Ashcraft, Russell Baxter, Bill Crossley, Larry Hedden, Sparky Hedden, Gary Hines,
Jack Irvin, Ron McHone, Kemp Nall, David Robinson, Phil Shirron, Dee Tucker and Tom Waller. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 357, Sheridan, Arkansas 72150. Visitation 5:30 to 7:30 PM Tuesday night at the funeral home.